FEATURES, MEN

Marcelo Rodrigues is part of our menswear buying team, born in Brazil he moved to Dublin eight years ago, finding a job at Primark as a Christmas temp. His hard work paid off and Marcelo was kept on, working his way up from a sales assistant to a store manager before becoming a buyer. We caught up with Marcelo as he flew over the pond to attend LC:M, the highlight of Britain's menswear calendar, to check out the street style and gather inspiration for next season’s collections.

As a trainee buyer Marcelo feels that no two days are the same, "There’s no such thing as a normal day, that's what makes the job exciting! We are involved from the initial concept of the product until the end, when it’s ready to go to the shop floor, but between there are months of creative and admin work."

Marcelo admires the style of fashion designer Hedi Slimane,"He had huge influence on menswear and really believed in what he created as he was a product of his own design." When it comes to his own style Marcelo likes to take risks and try new things, "Sometimes I’ll wear something and if I try to repeat the outfit on another occasion, I might hate it. I tend to wear smart casual outfits, but some days I prefer denim, runners and a leather jacket. I like to try different shapes and styles, but I wouldn't go crazy."

He goes into further detail about his outfit selection, "This suit in particular is really cool. The trousers are cropped at the ankle and pleated by the waist, whilst the jacket fits nicely. With this look you are ready for whatever, from work to dinner.”

What excites Marcelo most about LC:M is how it gets his creative juices flowing citing that, “There’s inspiration everywhere.” When asked about his style tips for next season Marcelo suggests, smart cropped trousers paired with a bomber jacket, as both items are popular right now in the menswear world. The bomber jacket and cropped trousers are hot on the high street with Primark offering a variety for the upcoming season at wallet friendly price points as Marcelo confirms, “There are loads of options coming soon that are highly affordable, so there’s no need for excuses!”

Five questions for Marcelo:

​Jacket €40, T-shirt €2.50, Trousers €19, Trainers €16.

1. What does a normal day in your life consist of? I work on the leisurewear and performance wear section, so usually I meet with my team on Monday afternoon and plan for the week ahead. I’m responsible for buying performance and also responsible for most of the admin work. I try to plan out my hours as best as I can. For example from 10 am to 1pm, I go through all the system amendments that needs to be done, from 2pm until 5pm I’ll deal with development for performance. There’s always a lot to get done, but if you are organised and prioritise the work, it runs smoothly.

2. How did you get into fashion buying? I came to Ireland from Brazil to study English for six months and I got a job in Primark. I ended up staying in Dublin so I worked on the shop floor as a sales assistant for over four years. Then a job came up in head office, and I applied and got it!

3. What’s the best advice you’ve been given in regards to your career and what advice would you give to fledging buyers? When I was a sales assistant, a lady who was a shoe designer, told me to learn as much as possible about the product in-store and that it would all come together in the end. I would say if it's something that you're passionate about just go for it. But bear in mind that this is the kind of job that you are connected 24/7 it never stops, but it can be really fun.

4. How would you describe your role and what’s your favourite aspect of the job? We do so many things at the same time that you never bored.

5. Where’s your favourite city to visit and why? London. Everything happens there and people dress so cool, and there are so many places to go. I love the fact that I've been there so many times. Yet when I’m there I feel like I know the place so well, that it is almost like I am not abroad

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